The Youtube channel V8TV has a new series called Muscle Car of the Week. On a recent episode they showcased one of the rarest and surprisingly forgotten musclecars: the Ford Torino. But this is no ordinary Torino, this is a rare Ford Torino GT 429CJ Vert with the Drag Pack option.

The Ford Torino is the ultimate Jackel-Hyde musclecar; from a distance it appears to be a ragtop cruiser, however, when looking at it closely it’s all race car. The Torino’s racing influences such as it’s shaker hood scoop, Cobra Jet trim, racing wheels, big tires and the laser stripe are hidden among the car.

While most musclecars from the era which were all about performance, the Torino was about performance and cruising. Its all black leather interior was designed for comfort with two bench seats, an 8-track/radio and a Hurst shifter on the floor.

429 cubic inches of raw power sits underneath its hood. This 429 Super Cobra Jet with the Drag Pack option, this means it produces 375 horses and 450 lb-ft of torque, 15 more than standard for racing. The 429 is attached to a Ford 4-speed transmission which runs to another drag pack option: the Detroit Locker 4.30 rear end.

While the hard top Torino GT 429 was designed to be a competitive drag car, the convertible was designed for fun. The concept behind it was a car you drove to pick up girls, spend a day at the beach and go stop light racing at night. It was designed to be the ultimate So-Cal muscle machine. We are not sure how well the concept worked, as this car was a monster to drive and it cruised the highway @ 3300 RPM.

Is it just us or does the laser strip seem like an 80’s option rather than a 60’s one?